Ovulation: Myths and False Beliefs

When a woman wants to get pregnant, ovulation becomes a passionate matter. Something that wasn’t important, suddenly becomes a goal. “Am I certain that I ovulate? How do I know on which day I ovulate?” These are frequently asked questions.

That is why I would like to talk about some of the false beliefs we often encounter in our consultations.

Is it true that every month, ovulation happens in only one ovary?

Actually no, it isn’t, even though it is written in school text books.

The oocyte is a cell contained inside the follicle. Both develop simultaneously.

The follicles go through the following stages: primordial, primary, secondary and finally tertiary, when they have become mature.

The primordial follicles, during the first stage, lie in the ovary, until three months before the cycle in which ovulation takes place several start to grow and become primary follicles. This process is called recruitment.

Of all these follicles, only a few eventually become secondary, many atrophy and are left behind. This is called atresia process. Finally, only one among the secondary ones will become tertiary, measuring at that point 2 or 3 cm in diameter. If instead of being one they are two, the result is a twin pregnancy.

Throughout this process, the dominant follicle produces substances which inhibit the development of the other follicles. This occurs in all ovary tissue, it does not matter if it is on the right or left ovary. When a woman only has an ovary she always ovulates from this ovary. If she has two this process is randomized, which means she can ovulate from one ovary for several months in a row.

What if I don’t ovulate?

Many women fear not knowing whether they ovulate. I can tell you that, if menstrual cycles are regular, which means you have your period each month, it is certain that you ovulate.

Women who do not ovulate are those who don’t get their period, have it every several months, or have irregular cycles.

To know on which days you ovulate, it is enough to observe the usual length of your cycles. We know that 14 days go by from ovulation to the following period. Thus if your cycles are of 28 days, you will ovulate most likely on the 14th day of your cycle. And if they are of 27 days, you will ovulate on day 13th.

Although it is not always exact, you don’t need an ovulation test. It is more practical to have sexual intercourse between three days before and one day after you expect to ovulate. We know that sperm can remain alive, waiting for the oocyte for up to three days on the fallopian tubes, and that the oocyte can be fertilized within 24 hours (it degenerates one day after ovulation).

Ideally you should have sexual intercourse on these days, but not necessarily on all these days. Even if you have a mission, try to keep a bit of romance!

You should know that sperm moves from the vagina to the tube with a speed of 2-3mm a minute. Therefore, from the moment ejaculation occurs until the sperm reaches the oocyte, approximately 45-60 minutes go by… Only a few hours after sexual intercourse, you may already be pregnant!

Ovulating doesn’t mean you can get pregnant

During the last years of menstruating, a woman cannot have healthy children. The physiological system which separates the chromosomes in the oocytes ages, and becomes ineffective. Thus, as time passes, the oocytes present alterations which prevent fertilization to take place, or which may lead to miscarriages.

This aging process is caused by the passing of time. Some believe that during pregnancy, or while taking contraception, oocytes are preserved, but this is not true. It is like thinking that while we sleep we do not age.

Another common misconception is believing that, if you have been taking contraceptive pills for a long time, you should wait several months before getting pregnant.

This is untrue, you can seek pregnancy from the moment you stop taking the pill. I guess this false belief is based on the fact that when ovulation does not occur over many cycles, it is frequent that it can be delayed.

What happens to the unfertilized oocytes?

The unfertilized eggs are microscopic cells that are eliminated by a type of white blood cells called macrophages, which are part of our cellular cleansing system. They are not eliminated throughout the period but recollected by these lymphocytes and brought to the blood stream.

Is fertility inherited?

We know some aspects related to fertility are genetically determined and for this reason some families are more fertile than others. Therefore, the number of oocytes and of primordial follicles when a baby girl is born can be approximately 2 to 3 million. This is related to heredity linked to the X chromosome.

Our patients often tell us: I will probably start menopause at the same age my mother had it or a bit later. In industrialized societies this is changing. Since toxic substances, which are endocrine disruptors, get collected on the fat of the mother, the number of these cells is reduced along with the fertile age. This also occurs in men and for this reason male fertility decreases in areas contaminated by environmental toxics.

Finally, it is very typical to hear: “I had my first period at a very young age so this means I will reach menopause early”. This is not true. The age of menopause is not linked to the age of the first menstruation.

I’m sorry but I don’t understand the point of your question. Both ovaries work together as a unique ovary, so usually only one of hem will produce a mature oocite in every ovarian cicle. They don’t alterante.

Hi , I don’t know if you can help but , I had an eptopic pregnancy on my right Fallopian tube and they removed my whole tube , Iv gone for some tests to see if I have any problems , she done a scan and said I haven’t got a right Fallopian tube but I’m ovulating from my right ovary, and not my left where I have my only Fallopian tube , what I’m asking is will I ovulate on the left side next month ??? Also Iv read that in some cases the Fallopian tube can still pick up the egg from the opposite side of there isn’t a Fallopian tube ???

Contrary to what many people think, the side of ovulation is random and the ovaries not necessarily alternate each month. However, as you well said, the remaining tube can pick up the egg from the other side and therefore you still have high chances of getting pregnant.

Hi. I have a question. I had a hysteroscopy last year because I had something that blocked my uterus. After that I started taking Clomid for ovulation. My period has been irregular since I had it the first time. My Obgyn told me that the result of my blood test taking clomid for ovulation is just 0.29 she already increase the dosage for me. My question is , is there any medication I can take for me to ovulate and what are the chances of me getting pregnant if I dont ovulate at all? Is the IUI an option for me to do if I dont ovulate at all? Please I need to Know. My husband and I are trying to concieve for four years now. I would appreciate any information about my situation. Thank you! God bless

I have always had regular periods but after trying to conceive for a year, tests showed I wasn’t ovulating. I have had friends who have also experienced this so I am confused that you state you must ovulate if you have regular periods. Please can you explain this.

Generally speaking, if a woman has regular periods less than 35 days long, she is ovulating. Regular periods accompanied by other signs such as breast tenderness or ”egg white” cervical mucus appearance strongly suggest that too. Although ovulation kits can be useful for reassurance, it might prove to be challenging to know the exact day when to test, so a positive test is indicative of ovulation but a negative one can be due to wrong date. To know when to test, from ovulation to the next period is generally 14 days so if you have 28 days cycle, you count back 14 days which means you myth have ovulated around day 14. If you have a 30 days cycle, counting back 14 days, your ovulation was around day 16 of your cycle. I hope this is helpful.

Hi
I feel I ovulate on the right side each month as that is where I get pain around ovulation. But I have also heard that having pain on a certain side doesn’t mean that you have actually ovulated on that side? Is this true?

Hi
I am 24 F
Have low amh 0.8 ng/ml
Fsh 8.3
Lh 4.8
I was given benforce m ebexid for 1 month
Ovulator tablet for 5 days.
Please provide ur suggestions. Am i on the right track?
Last month i took siphene 100 2 times a day for 5 days. Got 25 mm follicle. But ended up negative. Got bleeding on and off no continuous flow. Is it due to tablet side effects

If you don’t have regular periods, the medication you mention might help you to ovulate. The 25mm follicle shows that you responded to the treatment but ovulation doesn’t guarantee prenancy as it might take few cycles before you achieve one. Your AMH is showing a low ovarian reserve so you should consider soon to move to other treatments if induction of ovulation is not successful after 6-12months.

Hi Dr. Marisa,
I have been surfing online many hours lately, yet I by no means found any interesting article like yours. Thanks for elaborating on the fact that ovulation has no relationship with neither pregnancy nor inheritance. I’ve had friends who had regular periods but after trying to get a baby, they found out that they were not ovulating. You stated that ovulation and periods go hand in hand. Please elaborate that further, help a friend to help a friend. Thanks.
Best Regards,
Julia Morales.

Hi Dr,I am 28 yrs old, I was having a lot of pains during menstruation, I went for a pelvic scan and I was told it was ovarian cyst, went again after a year and I was told that the ovary is stuck to the uterus. I have regular menstrual period . can this affect my fertility or chances of ovulating,pls help me with a solution

Good morning.
I can tell you there are 2 kinds of cysts, functional and organic. The first ones disappear when taking birth control pills after two of three monts, so that your ovaries can rest and discard them. The second ones could even need a surgical procedure if they were endometric cysts, which can affect fertility but not ovulation.

I hope yours will be a functional cyst that can be solved in a short time.

I have a unicornuate uterus, with 2 functioning ovaries, although my right ovary is very high the doctors don’t believe my only fallopian tube will be able to retrieve the egg from this ovary. We have been trying for almost 2 years and have completed 1 round of IVF, unsuccessfully. I now want to get scanned to see if I am ovulating from my left ovary each month, but the doctors say this is a whole monitoring cycle and will cost £500 every month! Is there any other way to know when I am ovulating from my left ovary, so I know I have the potential to get pregnant?
Regards,
Carly

The only way to assess which side you are ovulating from, would be by doing regular scans and check which side is producing a dominant follicle. Apart from ovulation, other factors need to be taken into account to know if you are fertile (like tubal patency, sperm quality). If you already have a history of 2 years of infertility, IVF might be the best way to go but your doctor is the best person to assess this by taking into account your previous response to IVF
Yours sincerely,

I had a miscarriage at 10 weeks when I was 20 I had ectopic pregnancy at 22 after that I sworn off trying to get pregnancy. I am now 29 and February 4 was my LMP. so my Ovulation day would’ve been the 18th, I had sex on the 17th and experience Light cramping and bloating all the way till the 21st. and with today being the 26 I’ve been experiencing on and off like nauseousness since then. I noticed my CM was creamy and white light but that’s all symptoms I’ve had. Took early pregnancy test came negative highly disappointed. My cycle Don’t come on until March 4. And I’m seriously doubting if I’m pregnant now and if i can even carry.

It is very important to take a pregnancy test on the first day of lack of menstruation and not behore that, since this could lead to a false negative because the hormone Bhcg levels (pregnancy hormone) would not be high enough and, hence, the results are not reliable.
Pleas take a new pregnancy test on the date that you should get your menstruation. It could be you had an ectopic pregnancy, so if you are or you are not pregnant, ask you doctor for an appointment so that she/ he can check everything. If you are pregnant, it is important to make sure this embryo implants correctly and, if you are not pregnant, then just have everything checked to make sure everything is OK.

Hi..
I am 27yrs old.. planning for a baby but not getting pregnant. My husband and I had few tests and results were positive..My doctor suggested to have only folic acid tablets and said everything is good and pregnancy Wil happen naturally.. But my concern is my egg s getting released only on the right side for consecutive 4 months and I am having slight pain on my left side.. tis pain lasts hardly for 3 to 4 seconds but comes often…is it normal or something to worry?? Please suggest..thanks..

Hello Dr.,
Thank you for this article. I have another question on ectopic pregnancy. I only have my left tube and was wondering when I do finally conceive should I request to be checked on earlier to make sure I don’t risk have another one and lose this tube as well? I’m so scared it will happen again. Anything you could recommend to do would be great. Thank you for your time.

Dear Laney.
If you have a history of an ectopic pregnancy, this could be due to tubal disease and is some cases both tubes are affected.. As you well mention, it is advisable to do an early pregnancy scan to rule out an ectopic pregnancy in the remaining tube but remember ectopic pregnancies are not that frequent so you could still have a perfectly ongoing intrauterine pregnancy
Best regards

Hi. I had a hysteroscopy last year because I had something that blocked my uterus. After that I started taking Clomid for ovulation. My period has been irregular since I had it the first time. My Obgyn told me that the result of my blood test taking clomid for ovulation is just 0.29 and it has to be double digit to say that I ovulate with the dosage of Clomid I’m taking, she already increase the dosage for me. My question is , is there any medication I can take for me to ovulate and what are the chances of me getting pregnant if I dont ovulate at all? Is the IUI an option for me to do if I dont ovulate at all? Please I need to Know. My husband and I are trying to concieve for four years now. I would appreciate any information about my situation. Thank you! God bless

Hi there,
Thank you, im glad to hear that cervical mucus changes (egg white ) and regular menstruation mean your ovulating,I have been searching for that answer.
My main question today is being an old bird can I conceive at 44yrs or older?
I’ve always had longer than 28 day cycles (31/32 days), however I had four back to back 28 day periods just before turning 40 yrs old, I felt normal! Then when my fortieth birthday came I actually conceived that month but miscarried at almost 12 weeks.
We tried on and off and luckily we got pregnant a year on and I gave birth to a gorgeous healthy little man at 42. Im 44 now and my cycles still average around 32 days,some less,with egg white mid cycle ,so what do you think? Is it still possible ?
Much appreciated.

Don’t get discorage. I am 45 years old and my last baby was conceived naturally at 43, born when I was 44. She is 16 months. I am trying to give her a sibling but I found out That my left fallopian tube is blocked now. I just went for a sonogram and they told me that I had just ovulated from the left side (the one that is closed) As soon as I get my period , I will start clomid 100 mg from day 2-6, praying to ovulate from my right ovary . Go to your doctor and get tested for everything so you know where are you standing. Good luck

I have been told that I have a low ovarian reserve (I am 36). I started doing scans every period to track my antral follicle count. Last 2 periods at my day 5 scan I already had dominant follicles. This month on day 6 the biggest one was only 6 mm 🙁 does this mean they will not be growing this month, or is there still hope? I should mention that my period is nornally 26 days.
Thank you so much for tour help!

Very informative article, thank you. My question is in regards to hyper-ovulation. I have regular cycles and can easily tell when I am ovulating due to changes in cervical mucus. Most literature I read mentions the egg-white appearance occurring for one day, but most months I experience this for 2-3 days. Does this indicate hyper-ovulation? Twins are heavy in my family and I always wondered if there was a correlation.

Dear Rachel,
Every woman is different so not everyone has the same experiences, when you say that these 2 – 3 days with white flow is normal, it is not indicative of hyper ovulation or because of the number of twins that there are in your family. When you ovulate you can have this kind of flow a couple of days instead of just one day as usual.

I also want to mention that when I had an ultrasound performed during my cycle (I was to become an egg donor) I was told I had a high follicle count. I think it was somewhere between 20-30. Is a high follicle count related to hyper-ovulation or twin pregnancies? I am concerned about twins because I plan to conceive in the next few months. I already have two children who were total surprises; as in we thought we were being as safe as one can be without the use of contraceptives, and I am worried that the one time I actually try to conceive it will be twins.

Such a high number of follicles is characteristic of polycystic ovaries. So under an ovarian stimulation in an assisted reproduction treatment, it can cause a hyperstimulation but it is not an exact science. I advise you to go to your gynaecologist. The doctor will give you all the necessary informations checking your ultrasounds and studying your case. I have very little information to tell you more

Does painful ovulation mean it lasts longer than normal?? I get crampy and have the EWCM for about a week its alot and annoying! Is that normal? I dont use BC but still no baby, and wondering if i should get checked out

Dear Millie
Many women could feel pain during the ovulation process as well as cramps, chills, heavy flow…
I do not have enough information to know why you don’t get pregnant.
I advise you to do a review to check the EWCM.

Hello Marisa, hope u r doing good. i want to share my history of pregnancy that lasted for 3 months in the year 2017 as my fetus got detected with Edward syndrome but that was an unplanned pregnancy and also i felt that it happened due to alcohol intake the very same month due to unawareness of pregnancy.

i am now looking forward to plan for my pregnancy again in the month of March but i lastly had alcohol in the month of November 2017 n that too moderate amount. Now since recently i read that the egg starts maturing 3 months before it goes for ovulation, i am feeling worried whether or not i should go for planning in the month of March. Its high time now, i will be of 30 years this September. Can u please suggest whether i must wait 2-3 months more.

I am on my third cycle post-miscarriage. According to my ovulation tests, I ovulated on day 15 last cycle. I am currently on day 12 and had a scan. The tehnician could see “lots of follicles” but no dominant follicle. Does this mean I will likely not ovulate this month?

My other concern is that my luteal phase seems to be varying. My first cycle post-miscarriage it was 13 days, and last cycle it was 10. I thought the luteal phase was always the same?

By day 12 is common to see a dominant follicle but not having one not necessarily means you are not going to ovulate as this could be a long cycle with a delayed ovulation. The luteal phase is generally 10-14 days so don be worried about a slight variation.

I had an ectopic in Dec-16. through out 2017 I was taking different different medicines for Ovulating (Letoval, Good Ova, Ovasheild DS).
So this month in JAN -18 I thought of not going to any doctor for a month or two.
Just did my follical study yesterday (Day 13th) and there is no follicle.

Is it ok to not have follicle for a month or two. Or should I immediately go and check with doctor

Dear Akanksha,
The number of follicular counts at the optimal moment of the cycle gives us important information about the ovarian reserve.
After the follicular study, I recommend you to trust in the specialist who did the exam.
Kind regards,

I was born with one kidney right. My left ovary is where my kidney should be. My uterus is on right side of my body and right ovary on left side of uterus. Only one ovary attached.. do i ovulate from the “good” ovary every month or do i switch even thpugh my left ovary isnt close to the tube or uterus at all on other side of body?

Due to PCOS(which I never knew I had until I started seeing a reproductive endocrinologist) my son was conceived through my second IUI. During my second try at IUI my RE had to continue stimulating my follicles to get them to mature, which resulted in conception and a very healthy pregnancy. I want one more. Can someone who has PCOS and could only conceive after further follicle stimulation to only get pregnant from IUI ever be able to conceive on their own?

Good day!
My right ovary is polycystic. I undergo transvaginal ultrasound last January and found 1 mature follicle on my left. I have regular period. I had period this February 16. My question now is, is it possible to still ovulate on my left ovary this month?

Yes, indeed, it is still possible that you ovulate on your left this month. Ovulation does not have a pattern , so it is possible to ovulate on any of them in each cycle. The only way to know for sure is if you undergo an ultrasound during ovulation.

The low ovarian activity may be related to menopause but it is not a clear indicator. In order to check it you could have some hormonal blood test, such as FSH or pay attention to some symptoms such as hot flashes, urogenital symptoms, irregular menstruations or mood changes.

Hi, today is my cycle day 10, I took clomid cycle day 3-7, I went for my blood work and ultrasound , the nurse told me, my right ovary has one 20mm follicle , meanwhile left one had two 6.7 , but my right tube is blocked, I am so nervous, is my iui gonna cancel since I ovulated from the wrong side?

The ovulation can take place in each one or sometimes both at the same time, there is not a pattern. The fact that your right tube is blocked means that you will not be able to get pregnant when it is the right ovary that ovulates because the egg cannot be fecundated.

I am 34 and have regular periods on a 27 or 28 day cycle every month. 14 days before my period I get intense pain on my left side only – I have always assumed this to be ovulation pain – and it lasts for around 6- 12 hours or so. but it is only ever on my left side…

I have been trying to conceive now for 8 months but no luck – could the pain be something other than ovulation pain? perhaps something wrong with my left fallopian tube? I’m worried I am not ovulating from my right side at all and that there is something wrong with my left.

The pain you describe is the typical pain of ovulation. It does not mean that you only ovulate from the left ovary, but that the reflection of that pain appears on your left flank. If you are very concerned about the permeability of your tubes, there is a test called Hysterosalpingography used to determine the permeability of your tubes.
On the other hand 8 months is a short time for trying to have a baby, there are couples who take more than a year to become pregnant. Do not get discouraged and keep trying.

Can anyone help. I am a 29 year old healthy (ish!) lady, I am lucky enough to already have a 6 year old daughter and she was conceived when I was taking the pill. Since her birth my periods have been irregular and periods of bleeding, however for approx 1 year I have only been having periods every 2-3 months so it has gone from bleeding a lot to hardly nothing. I have not been on birth control for years, I did try the pill for a couple of months a while back to try and regulate but just ended up bleeding all the time

I have been trying for a baby since approx Aug 17. My periods to date have been Late Jul, 21 Sep (5days), 1 Dec (5days), 14 Feb (6 days) and still nothing yet. I went to the GP who advised to continue trying for 1 year then refer me to a fertility clinic. The GO also said I am in premature ovulation failure, but to be honest was disinterested and was not even willing to refer to gyyne or even have a blood test. Has anyone experienced this before? Can anyone offer any advice? It is really getting me down but I also feel this has a huge impact on my well being eg: Mood etc…

Dear Sophie,
I would recommend you to go to a fertility specialist to do an ultrasound for a follicular count and a blood test of the antimulerian hormone (AMH). With the results of this tests you could know more about your infertility problems.
Best regards

Sophie, have the doctors checked your thyroid status? It is quite common to have an underactive thyroid gland especially after giving birth and it can cause a variety of problems including infertility. It is easy to fix by taking synthroid. So if they haven’t checked it yet ask them to do the test, a simple blood sample.

Hi Doctor,
I am 32 year old and trying to conceive for past few years. Commenced treatment this month and as per my gynac did the below blood tests FSH 1.32,AMH 4.12,TSH 2,PROLACTIN 12.35,LH 2.50 as per blood samples given on 28th day of cycle. On my second day of menstruation, started Fertyl 50 mg for 5 days and later from 11th day did follicular study but I had only few follicles on left ovary and on 15 th day as per my gynac, I may not be ovulating this month but my endometrium thickness is 10mm on 15th day. Why does this situation comes as I do not have overweight, PCOS. I have an anteverted uterus. Please advice.

Hi! Dr. Marisa López-Teijón, I`m 26 years old
I got a transviginal ultrasound and the result was normal size uterus with unthickened endometrium normal ovaries with dominant follicle seen on the right. The uterus is anterverted.
Uterine corpus measured 3.8 x 3.2 x 3.1 cm
Endometrium with thickness 5 mm
Dominant follicle measuring 1.2 cm seen on the right ovary..

I was tried to get pregnant and i dont know if im totally get ovulated.. Please help me about these.. Thanks

If during the scan it was possible to observe a dominant follicle, you have to wait for that follicle to free the oocyte. The ovulation cannot be confirmed without a blood test or scan – performed few days later – that shows the presence of a corpus luteum.

My name is Sarah I am 29 yrs old just recently had a tubal reversal I got left with 3.5 cm on the left tube and 4.5 on the right my question is if you say is true that is woman ovulate on both sides do I stand a better chance at trying to become pregnant when my right tube is ovulating

How accurate are OPKs? I am using Clearblue and last cycle tested I had a positive LH surge that was detected. Now this cycle the LH surge wasn’t detected and now I fear I didnt ovulate. My periods are regular so could this be possible I didn’t ovulate?

Dear Danielle, the ovulation tests have a high reliability. The months in which ovulation is not detected may be due to the fact that this cycle could have been anovulatory. Do not worry, it is normal sometimes do not ovulate in every cycle.
Good luck and best regards,

Hello Dr, I am 29 with regular 28 day cycle, 14-16 day OPK +ve, it’s been four months I have been trying and monitoring but with no results, I did an follicular monitoring & the US showed no obvious follicle on CD 11, I was again called on CD15 still no follicles but a mild free fluid was detected, what does that mean, what to expect, pl. enlighten me.

If you have regular cycle, every 28 days specifically, it means you ovulate normally.
It may be that on the ultrasound performed on day 15 you had already ovulated, that is why you saw the free fluid. The proof that you have ovulated is if 14 days later you have you menstruation cycle.

Hi I’m 34 I have Endometriosis never had any treatments for it but many many many ruptured cysts. I have a 9 year old son tried to get pregnant for a about 5 years nothing happened. I just had a cyst the size of a grapefruit on my right ovary and the OBGYN DID SURVERY February 7, 2018 and removed my right tube and ovary. She said my left ovary has scar tissue along with other scar tissue aka webbing she called it. Identical twins and fraternal twins are on both My mom and dad’s side of the family as am I a fraternal twin however My twin died before birth. My question is
1.) can I still get pregnant with a scared left ovary?
2.) what chance would I have to have fraternal or identical twins?
3.) can my one lonely little ovary release more than 1 egg?

Sorry to be a pain in just curious and my Dr keeps giving me the run around.

Hi Dr. I have an ectopic pregnancy at my first pregnancy so my right fallopian tube was removed and two years after I have my first baby. We again workout this year for another baby and took fertility drug last month’s cycle. Last April 30, 2018, my ultrasound revealed that there is a matured follicle but on my right ovary however, I feel slight pain at my lower left abdomen during my fertile period. What could be the meaning of this? Second, how is my chance to ovulate in the left ovary if ever my period comes this month? Do ovaries alternately ovulate each month?…Hoping for your response..Thank You

First, I am sorry to hear what happened. When ovulating many women feel a slight pain in the lower part of the abdomen. The symptoms you describe might be due to ovulation, you should not worry. As per the ovulation itself, ovaries do not have a pattern, so it is hard to say whether they ovulate alternately or not.

Great article! I was recently diagnosed with PCOS and am currently taking a month off from Letrozole+trigger protocol we have been on with an RE. I have 2 questions:
1 – if elevated LH is commonly seen in PCOS, why aren’t all my OPKs super positive all the time? (I’ve actually never had a positive)

2 – If I had a 16mm dominant follicle seen on ultrasound on CD 16, is it likely I will actually ovulate in my own this month? I’m currently CD 21 and my vaginal temps have been trending down since CD16.

Dear Sara,
in order that an ovulation occurs, an LH peak has to be produced in the cycle and this LH peak depends on the increase of the oestradiol produced by the follicles. In the case of the polycystic ovary syndrome, this does not always happens. Regarding the 16mm follicle – it is possible that ovulation is produced since with this size it seems that it is the selected follicle this month.
We wish you good luck!

Hello Dr, missed my period for 6 days now, HPK shows negative, should I wait few more days or should I start taking meprete as directed by my doctor? But I am unsure about its side effects on the foetus i.e if I am pregnant.

Can i usk question I’m 34 yrs I’m having ovarian cyst on my right ovary my Dr send me for check up my ovary the right one is not clear the left one is clear so which means my right ovary is blocked? And did I have chance of getting pregnant again

Don’t worry, the fact that you have a cyst in the ovary does not mean that you are not fertile. In these cases, we would recommend to study what type of cyst is, and analyze your ovarian reserve by performing a blood test to measure the AMH.

Dear Doctor,
Two months ago I miscarried at 6 weeks. It was my first pregnancy. I wasn’t given any methotrexate, nor did I need surgery. The miscarriage was diagnosed as an ectopic pregnancy since the uterus appeared empty in all the ultrasounds (there was apparently no pregnancy in the Fallopian tubes either). My corpus luteum was on the left side but the suspected ep was on the right even though I have both Fallopian tubes. Is this possible? Could it have been a normal miscarriage?

Dear Val, so sorry about what happened. It does look as a normal miscarriage, you should not worry, since it was 6-week pregnancy and therefore your tubes are not affected. That is why your have not needed any extra medicine either. Anyway, you’d better have a checkup in a few weeks to make sure you are fully OK.

Hi doctor, I left a comment yesterday and it was waiting to be moderated but now has disappeared. Will it appear again once it’s moderated?
I would be so grateful for your advice or reassurance.
Thank you

Dear Sally, you should repeat the fertility tests since with the time and the age the hormonal values could change. You do not have to be worried about how they were in the past given that just as they can get worse, they can also get better.
To have an idea of your current ovarian reserve and quality, you need to test the AMH level and have a transvaginal ultrasound to make a count of your antral follicles in addition to the rest of the tests. On the other hand it is also advisable to study your partner since fertility problems can occur on both sides.

Regarding the ovulation test, they show you start the ovulation process, but they don’t assure if in that cycle an egg has been released or not (in the case of anovulatory cycles).

Hi I had an hsg done. Says right tube good left blocked or I have hydrosalpinx. Everything else great including my hubby sperm. First they said he had 2% morophology but second time perfect. Should I get a second opinion before surgery. I was pregant July 2017 but had a missed mc waited it out naturally by oct my body cleared everything. Menstrual cycle between 29-30 days.

When a hydrosalpinx is diagnosed, surgery is recommended. Asking for a second opinion or not, it’s up to you. That depends on whether or not you are convinced of the diagnosis that your doctor has made and the trust you have in him.

I am 34 years and have a 13 year old child. my husband and I have been trying to conceive for 2 years and eventually last year I did conceive but it became an ectopic so they had to cut my tube on the left side. I have never gone for a gynea check up and I do not know what to ask and where to start. I know when I am ovulating and even know the signs but its not happening,
please advise what can I do? when I is it that I should go to the gynea?
when having sex during ovulation it pains so much that I sometimes don’t want to have sex,

Dear Jabu, the most important thing is to perform a gynecological visit in order to check if everything is correct, tell your doctor to do an antral follicle count and a hormonal analysis, your partner should go to an andrologist to get the necessary tests.
With all the results will be easier for your doctor to make a diagnosis.

Dear Katie, it is necessary to study the degree of endometriosis of your daughter, according to the degree, it will affect more or less to its fertility.
It is best to follow your doctor’s instructions

What happens to the ovary while the other works? Sonar results showed that the right ovarian follicle is 14mm while the left is 16mm. And the egg growing in both ovaries, ovulation can occur twice, once from the left ovary, and then two days from the right.

Dear Angel, during the menstrual cycles you could have several follicles, although finally it is only one that grows and ovulates. In some cases it is possible to ovulate several follicles at once, although it is not normal. While one ovary ovulates the other one rests.

Hi. I just had ultrasound today (CD 12) which revealed that I have BILATERAL PCOS, thin endometrium (5mm) and NO dominant follicle. TTC since Nov2017 as I withdraw from hormonal pills last Oct17. Since then I had 30-39 days cycle. I was diagnosed with PCOS since I was 18 and I already have 1 princess(7y.o). I want to conceive again as I was already turning 30 in Jan2019. Do you think it still still possible for me to conceive this month spontaneously or should I seek medical help so i can get pregnant. I really felt bad that I dont have dominant follicle and the ob-sono also said I even have a thin endometrium. 🙁

Dear Jhen, you are young and if you didn’t have any problems in the past I recommend you use the ovulation tests as they can guide you on the most fertile days of your cycle. If after several months after trying it in a natural way you can not conceive, you can go to a specialized reproduction centre where they will carry out a personalized study.

Dear Dr.Marisa,
I had a ruptured ectopic on my Right fallopian tube in October 2017. I have been on Clomid 100mg and this is my 2nd cycle on it. During the recent USG, the follicle was noted to be on the right side. My question is should I con’t to try with Clomid or should I consider IVF? I have also had a miscarriage in May 2017 prior to the ectopic. Thank you.

I developed a large hemmorhagic cyst over the course of two cycles on my right ovary. They were big before my period at about 4cm and became smaller during my period (2cm).

The right ovary also contained the dominant follicle on my past two cycles and i haven’t gotten pregnant yet.

The left ovary finally looks it will be the winner for the dominant follicle. It has 9mm follicle on day 5 with other smaller one’s . The right has multiple 6mm ones plus the hemmorhagic cyst.

could the rt cyst prevented me from ovulating or even then released a weak or immature egg on rt ovary ? and now that I most likely will be ovulating (finally) on the left side this month, will the rt cyst still affect my ovulation ?

I was diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy in my left tube in August 2017 and was treated with methotrexate. After my hcg went down to zero my dr recommended I go for an hysterosalpingogram where he said that everything is normal and no tube is blocked. However i’ve been really scared of ttc again and getting another ectopic. Any advice? Is there a higher probability of getting an ectopic pregnancy in my left tube vs my right now or might the first ectopic have been just a fluke? Thank you.

Hi Dr.,
Thank you for your article, I found it really interesting.
My OB placed me on Femara (2.5mg CD 5-9) (PCOS) and I had an US on CD 13 and he said I had a good follicle measuring roughly 13mm and my lining looked good and I should ovulate in a couple days.
This was a week ago, and I still haven’t ovulated. Is it possible that I could still ovulate?

I have been having some cramping on the ovary which had the dominant follicle. I texted my doctor yesterday but I haven’t received a response, it is the holiday weekend so I may not.
What happens to a dominate follicle if you do not ovulate? Will I be ok?
Thanks,
Laura

Hello Doc,
I’ve been searching the web for hours to find answers in my situation and I came into your article.

My periods were irregular ever since and became more irregular when I got married. Upon checking with the doctors, they found out that I have bilateral polycystic ovaries. Gone through different treatments and within 3 yrs of being married, I would only have faint positive tests.

And to make this short, my LMP was last June 16th and it lasted 12 days just like my previous cycles this year. Feeling unwell, I decided to get a pregnancy test and it gave me another faint positive. So I went to have an ultrasound only to find nothing, except for my PCOS. I went home feeling confused and did another test yesterday but same result.

My question is, is it possible that the sonologist saw nothing, even if i have faint positives? I am confused as I was yesterday. If I didn’t ovulate, why am I getting these faint lines? And if I did ovulate, why there’s no corpus luteum seen? I’d highly appreciate it if you can enlighten me.

In order to clear doubts about faint positives, the best thing to do is a blood test.
Regarding ovulation, you could keep track with temperature, flux and ovulation tests. Since you have such irregular periods it is very difficutl to catch a glimpse of the corpus luteum in an ultrasound.

I came across this site, I am currently going thru insemination process trying to get pregnant. I bought the Clear Blue ovulation tests and I keep getting a positive smiley face. But my blood is coming back with a low LH Surge. My doc said it may just always read a positive even on my period. How is this possible? I thought I can use the tests if we decide to try on our own but now I don’t know when I ovulate. My period was never regular since i stopped the pill 2 years ago. My cycles would be short (about 17 days) one month and long (as long as 42 days) the next. My longest cycle was 69 days and I went on a pill to bring on a period. I did one round of iui but it didnt work. I also may have a cyst, they can not tell if its a follicle or a cyst. Its not growing or shrinking in 4 days. And I dont have any other follicles more than 10 mm. I am on day 8 of my cycle. Am I ovulating? I dont think I can get pregnant. I am 35 years old by the way.

Since you have such irregular cycles it is really difficult to tell whether you are ovulating or not. I would advise to use the ovulation tests. Should this not work for you, another option is to take a trasnvaginal ultrasound, in order to check if there is follicle growth.

With such small follicles it is very difficult to determine if you are ovulating or not.
In order to check if it is a cyst or the corpus luteum your doctor should be able to tell you by carrying out an ultrasound examination.
If you are worried about whether you can or not get pregnant, ask your doctor to carry out all hormonal tests required.

Hello Doctor, I am 37 yr old and my husband is 39. Trying for second child. In April 2017 i had an spontaneous abortion after that i avoided pregnancy for 3 months then i had a right ectopic pregnancy in sept 2017 which got treated by 1 shot of methotrexate then again avoided pregnancy for 3 months. My hsg test shows my left tube is blocked. My husband’s semen analysis is good. Rest of the reports came normal. Then I took letrozole for 3 months and went for follicular monitoring which showed i ovulated from left ovary in all the three cycles. Plz suggest what should i do? I am worried because of age factor.

If, as you tell me, the results of HSG show that your left tube is blocked and after follicular monitoring you ovulate from your left ovary, you should go to a Reproductive Medicine Center so that they can tell you what assisted reproductive technique suits you best, since the fact that your tube is blocked will make it quite difficult to get a natural pregnancy.

Because of your age, you should not worry too much. You are still in an adequate reproductive age, but go as soon as possible to a Reproduction Centre.

Hi DR, I have been diagnosed with PCO without the syndrome, which to me meant my female and male hormones where fine, no facial hair acne etc.. my periods are fairly regular about the 28-32 day cycle, I have been told I do not have a dominant follicle.. does this mean I can’t get pregnant? I thought if I was having regular periods every month I was ovulating I’m very confused.

Of course you ovulate very month, that is why you regularly have your periods. That you do not have a dominant follicle doesn’t mean you are not ovulating. It simply means that many eggs do mature at the same time and that there is not one that stands out from the restin the moment that the ultrasound was made. But there is a moment when a follicle does stand out from the rest and matures; it is then that it is expelled, so that your fallopian tubes can pick it up.

It is usual for PCO patients not to have a dominant follicle, hence you do not need to worry, because you do ovulate every month. If you want, you can take an ovulation test in urine to check that you really ovulate every month.

Dear DR, In 2007 I had an ectopic pregnancy resulting in me losing my left fallopian tube. In 2016 I had a dermoid cyst growing on my right ovary which resulted in me having to had my right ovary remove in order to get the cyst out. Is it possible that I can still get pregnant naturally? And if not Will IUI work for me? OR will I need IVF. Bearing in mind that I have my right fallopian tube without notice right ovary and my left ovary with no left fallopian tube.

Because of the lack of your right fallopian tube and your left ovary it is impossible to get pregnant naturally or via IUI. You could go for an IVF; in any case, you should first have all necessary tests done and, according to the results, do what your doctor thinks is more suitable.

I am 38 years old and have 4 kids. I got pregnant in May but miscarried at 10 weeks. My question is does the month you ovulate and get pregnant matter after a miscarriage? For example after I miscarried I ovulated and got my period. Should I wait until my next cycle to try to get pregnant so it won’t be on the same cycle as when I got pregnant originally? Thank you for your article. I look forward to hearing from you

After a miscarriage, periods suffer from changes in its periodicity and they tend to normalize after two or three months. If your wish is to get pregnant again, I would say that from the age of 35 the quality of eggs, as well as the ovarian reserve, falls significantly. A proof of that is, that at that age, there are more transfer failures, as well as more repeated miscarriages. Should you not achieve your objective after 6 months of trying to conceive again, my advise would be to reach to an Assisted Reproduction team so that they can orientate you about the diagnostic tests to be carried out, as well as the most adequate technique in your particular case.
I wish you all the best.

Hello Doctor, hope you are fine. We are trying to have baby more than two years now. Recently on 16 August 2018 (9th day of my cycle) I did Hsg . I have 28-32 days cycle normally, but just after Hsg I missed my period. 14 days passed that i have missed period now. I did home pregnancy test but showed result negative. Can you please advise can this situation be considered as normal phenomenon or what I should do?

After an Hsg it is common that your period delays for several weeks, which leads to mistake of a pregnancy.
Other causes for period delays could be prolonged stress situations; drastic changes in the diet; doing a lot of exercise for a long time, etc.
All these lead to hormonal changes that can lead to variations of the normal cycle of a woman.
Another cause could be polycystic ovarian syndrome, but to determine if this is the case you should go to your gynaecologist and have an ultrasound made.
I hope you will soon get back to having regular cycles.
All the best.

Dear Dr,
I have regular periods (30-35 days) each month and usual ovulate day 16-21 – confirmed by EWCM, OPKs and temperature rise. Same occurred this month but Consultant advised on ultrasound at 7 days post ovulation that I hadn’t ovulated due to the absence of a corpus luteum. Is the ultrasound always accurate? Very confused as all the signs are that i ovulated.
Thank you

Vaginal ultrasound, focusing on your ovaries, allows us to visualize the presence of all types of structures within them (growing eggs, presence of corpus luteum, which indicates that you have ovulated, ovarian cysts, etc.)
If corpus luteum was not displayed on the ultrasound is understood that this month you have not ovulated, since this technique of direct visualization of your ovaries and other structures of your reproductive tract prevails over other predictive determination of ovulation tests as could be the ovulation test or basal body temperature, being this method already currently in disuse.

Hello, so i had unprotective sex on 29th september. I dont remember when was my last period or if i had any period this month. The guy was sure he didnt ejaculate in me. I asked him right after sex if i should take ECP he said no need. Now here i am. I have been having spotting alternatively no periods no pain no sign of periods. Im scared to take a test. Im sure he didnt cum. Lately i have been depressed and stressed out too. Is that why my periods are late and i am having spotting randomly on alternative days?

Sometimes moods such as depression or stress can influence your cycle and therefore also your period. Anyway, whenever there is unprotected sex there is a risk of pregnancy. For this reason, I would recommend that if you do not finally get your period when expected, you should carry out a pregnancy test in order to determine your state.

On the other hand, if your intention is not to get pregnant, you should consult with your Gynecologist which contraceptive method is best suitable to you.

I am 44 years old and recently trying to conceive. I have 3 older children lol (25, 24, and 21). I recently went to a new OB doctor who recommended an in office ultrasound. I have always had regular periods my entire life up until last month. My last menstrual was 9/12/2018 with no signs of menstrual. The urine test at the MD was negative for pregnancy. To make a long story short, 8 years ago I had my tubes reversed. During the intravaginal ultrasound, my MD found that my tubes are about 4-5 centimeters long and my left ovary is atrophic. However, my right ovary is in good shape, good size, but my endometrial lining was over 12 mm thick. He also saw a 27 mm follicle. How do you produce a follicle without menstrual? Also, he prescribed Provera to bring my cycle down (and to obtain the appropriate labs). He also recommended that I get an Xray to see if my tubes are patent. I am just wondering about this large follicle and my thick lining. What does all of this mean?

You should take into account that age is an important factor when trying to conceive. For all you tell me, you will have to wait to see if the 27mm follicle disappears with the next period. If it does not, it should be checked via ultrasound in order to verify that it is not a cyst.
The measure of your endometrium indicate that you will soon get your period.
I would advise you to reach a specialized centre in order to get all tests done and see the probabilities of getting pregnant in your case.

pls i need a help, i was diagnosed with pcos that shows that my egg are many in number but are not growing in size and i have been on treatment, i have 30days cycle and after the treatment i did a follicler scan on the 2nd day leading to my ovulation, and the result of the scan showed 2 matured egg, but the problem is that i have been having ovulation cramps since 2days now yet no sign of ovulation coming (EWCM), does that mean that i won’t ovulate this month or conceive. pls i need help, have been ttc for over a year now.

Dear Achiky,
Since I do not know the date of your last menstruation I cannot tell you exactly if your period is about to come. In any case, since you are telling me that you have been TTC for over a year, my recommendation would be to visit an assisted reproduction centre so that they can evaluate your case, since you also state that you have been diagnosed with PCOS and this can decrease the possibilities of conceiving.

I have just turned 38 and I’m trying to conceive baby #2. My first pregnancy I conceived first month at 33 but it resulted in a miscarriage. My second pregnancy a few months later I conceived immediately again and had a normal pregnancy/natural birth and I have a healthy 4 year old boy.

I’m now coming into month 6 trying to conceive my second baby. I have regular (to the day) clockwork periods and I have a 26 day cycle. Periods being around 5 days long first two days heavier and then very light last 3 days. I’ve just started using an ovulation kit and got a positive high LH surge on my last cycle but unfortunately didn’t conceive again.

I guess my question is would you believe my issue is probably egg quality seeings I’ve just turned 38? Or could it just be taking longer this time around? I’m just wondering how soon to possibly seek a fertility clinic to see if I now need help. Clearly having had no issue 4 years ago but I understand my fertility has potentially dropped quite rapidly since?

Dear Lara,
You are still within the parameters considered normal, since you have not been TTC for a year. After a year TTC without success, then we could start talking about secondary infertility and, hence, after this time, if you still have not gotten pregnant, it would be convenient to go to a reproductive medicine centre to have your case evaluated.

Obviously, for every year that passes by the probabilities to get pregnant shrink. From 35 years old, the reduce to an 8%, taking into account that, in a young woman, for every sexual intercourse she has a 25% of probabilities to conceive. Also, change of lifestyle habits (such as stress) diminish the possibilities of a pregnancy.

Hi Dr, my husband and have been trying for 12 months + for baby number 4. We have had all the usual tests and I had a HSG, everything looks normal. We are both 34 and had no problems ttc before. I have had 3 cesareans, would this have affected my fertility? The Dr commented at my last one that my womb was very thin? I also get bleeding from CD 8-12 just before I ovulate. Sometimes old brown blood and not very heavy.

Since you have been trying to conceive for over a year now and still have not suceeded to ge pregnant, it is likely to be some cause, either from your side or from the male one.

Also, I ignore when did you have your last cesarean: the ideal would be to wait for 18-24 months before TTC again in order to dimish any risks, such a uterine tear, since you have had 3 cesareans, hence the risk is high.

The best thing that you could do is go to a reproductive clinic in order to have all tests carried out, find out the cause and, then, consider the options and take the decisions.

Me and my husband have been trying to conceive for the past 5 months. I’ve never had an issue getting pregnant before. I’ve had 2 children and 2 miscarriages. My cycles used to be regular but now they are irregular. I just weaned my son (who is now 17 months old today) from breastfeeding while I was on my last period. I got my period back last February while I was breastfeeding but it has been irregular since. This month I’ve been trying an ovulation predictor kit since my cycle is now irregular. No positive test yet and it’s now 14 days since the last day of my last period. I’m worried that I won’t ovulate this month. Each pregnancy has been a one time shot each time. It’s starting to get frustrating. Also, can ovulation symptoms change after time? Since September for at least 2 weeks each month I’ve been having on and off nausea but still getting my period and negative pregnancy tests. My periods have been light with no clotting for the past few months. I would fill 1 to 2 pads a day at my heaviest times for each cycle. My doctor is aware but I think just associates it with that I was still nursing my son at night. My last period was mostly brown. What do you think?

Hello,
I have heard that sometimes when you ovulate, you may send out two matured eggs instead of one, or something about ovulating twice from the same ovary (this one I’m not that sure about). I was wondering how likely this would happen for me. I’m 19, and I’ve never taken medication or birth control. My BMI is 22.1. I don’t have any chronic health conditions that I’m aware of. Around once or twice a year my period skips a month, and my cycle is long, probably averaging around 35 days. I don’t experience spotting/bleeding between periods.

There are some women who can even release two or three eggs in a single cycle. But you should not worry, since a multiple ovulation is rare.

Multiple ovulations are basically due to two causes: hereditary and acquired. As to the first, it has been shown that there are families in which there is a greater percentage of twins due to the inheritance of genes that cause multiple ovulation, either because they impinge on the follicles or on hormonal levels.

With regard to acquired causes and multiple ovulations, these have been linked to aspects such as obesity, advanced age, having had twins in the past, etc.

Hello,
I was wondering about any correlation to small ovary size and infertility? I have been trying for two years with one miscarriage last year. I recently got an ultrasound and my ovaries are 2.2×2.7×1.7 and 2.1×2.5×1.3 and this was right after my period. Everything I’ve read online says one of my ovaries should be much larger to prepare for ovulation. I also read ovaries under 2mm in length can cause infertility, is this true?

I am 32 and my periods are regular, every 27-29 days. I was tracking my temp before my miscarriage last year, I was ovulating then obviously to get pregnant but haven’t tracked it since. But I assumed I was still ovulating but maybe I am not. The ultrasound technician said he counted 3-4 follicles on each side, but maybe I have low ovarian reserve as well?

The smaller the size of your ovaries, the fewer follicles that can reach a mature state. It is considered an acceptable ovarian reserve to have a number greater than 6 ovules in maturation between both ovaries on day 5 of the cycle, so that your ultrasound to assess your ovarian reserve is within the normal parameters. Another diagnostic test for the determination of your ovarian reserve is the determination in peripheral blood of the values of the Anti-müllerian hormone, so I would also advise you to make this analytical determination. In your particular case, for women under 35 years old, the Anti-müllerian hormone should have a value from 2.5.

I am 27 years old. I had my left tube removed two weeks ago due to a tubal pregnancy. I still have both my ovaries and right tube.The doctor said that my right tube and ovary look great as well as my left ovary. She also stated that I shouldn’t have any problems getting pregnant again after a few months of healing. I am just scared and worried to try again. What is your opinion. This was my first pregnancy and had not been off of birth control but a few short weeks. Also, when we do start trying again would a ovulation tracker help?

It is true that women who have suffered an ectopic pregnancy are more likely to have another than women who have not had an ectopic pregnancy, but it is also normal that in the next pregnancies the embryo is implanted correctly.

The fallopian tubes work all cycles if they are fine. In contrast, the ovaries alternate, although not necessarily in strict order, one cycle one and the next the other. The loss of a tube (or an ovary) does not decrease fertility. In fact, some women become pregnant with only one ovary and the opposite tube. In any case, you should wait three or four months, until you are fully recovered, before looking for another pregnancy.

Regarding the ovulation tests, it is always a plus, because they tell you 36 hours in advanced when your ovulation is going to take place and so you can schedule the days when you should have unprotected intercourse with your partner and thus increase the chances of getting a pregnancy.

I have been trying to get pregnant since I had my baby in September 2018. She was very healthy but she got tangled in her cord and was born sleeping. She had a true knot, nuchal cord, and a leg cord….

I was wondering how long after giving birth does it take for ovulation to return to a regular schedule? In the past I had always got pregnant (1-2 months) fast but now it’s taking time. It had now been almost 5 months since we lost our sweet little baby.

First, just tell you I am sorry for your loss.
Regarding your question, usually your period should become regular after three months. However, after a traumatic experience and due to anxiety, stress, fears, etc. it is normal that getting pregnant again takes longer than it usually would.
You should try to follow a healthy lifestyle, healthy diet, trying to reduce emotional tension, making moderate exercise every day, etc.
Only in this way will your periods be regular again. Then, if you want to know when you are ovulation, you can get some ovulation tests from the pharmacy to know which are your fertile days and, in this way, increase the chances to conceive again.

My husband and I are both 30 and have been trying to conceive for a few months now. I’ve been using ovulation strips and they seem to work every month, indicating ovulation at around day 14-17 depending on the month. My periods vary between 28 and 31 days, so are quite regular, but so far no luck. When I went to my doctor last year I had a papsmeer done but the doctor had a lot of trouble getting a sample and told me I had a tilted cervix, positioned back and to the left. The procedure was quite painful. Does an unusually positioned cervix (not just tilted but also to the left) influences chances of getting pregnant? Is there anything I can do, any specific positions that would help, or any exercises I could do that would help reposition my cervix, even temporarily? I’m worried that sperm currently cannot reach the fallopian tube.

You should not worry, since fertility is not affected by a tilted cérvix.
Keep on using the ovulation test sticks in order to know which will be your fertile days so that you can synchronize your sexual encounters. If after at least a year you do not get pregnant, I would then recommend you to contact a centre specialized in assisted reproduction, so that they can study whether there is a problem that is making a pregnancy difficult.

I am 44 and hoping to conceive baby number two, I have a 22 month old so was a late starter. Last year i had a blighted ovum and took the drug to cause a miscarriage but my periods went straight back to normal and I usually have a 30 day cycle. I have been testing for ovulation but only got two very very faint lines which understand are not positive and then nothing. I use the cheaper tests which I’ve read can be not as effective. Is there a chance I’m not ovulating? I know age is against me but am still hopeful.

Dear Jackie,
Because of your gynaecological, obstetrics history, and your age, the best thing would be to visit your gynaecologist so that he can carry out a complete examination and request a blood test, so that you can assess your hormone levels.

I am 33 with regular cycle of 27/28 days but my last 2 cycles have been for 30 days. We have been actively trying for 1.5 yrs with no luck. I recently got a pelvic scan done to test fertility on the 3rd day of my period.
Remarks – 1) Endometrium is 2mm and 2) Left cystic ovarian lesion most likely endometrioma, with a hemorrhagic cyst favored less likely. I have been asked to follow-up in 6 weeks
My question is –
Does the report suggest I am infertile.
If there is endometrioma in left ovary, can I still try and get pregnant from my right ovary?
What could possibly be the reason for cycle change to 30 days.? ( at first I really thought I conceived)

Dear Shain,
In addition to the pelvic scan there are many other tests before diagnosing whether there is a sterility problem or not. Therefore, since you have been searching for pregnancy for more than a year without success, I recommend that you go to a reproductive medicine center, where they will do the relevant tests.
Anyway, the right ovary seems to be fine, and the endometrioma of the left ovary can be treated, but as I commented only with the result of this test we cannot make a diagnosis, since we are missing more data.

Thank u very much for useful information u gave. I eoul be very grateful if you answer my question. I am 32 years old. Always Having regular periods. 8 years ago i had a laporascopic operation from my left ovary endometriotic cyst. It did not repeat since that time. Now I am married for 5 years and trying to conceive for 5 years. 4 years ago my hsg was clean. But never happened conception. 2 years ago i used klomen and progesteron for the first time and i got conceived naturally. But had an ectopic pregnancy in the right fallopian tube which was very close to the uterus. Used metotrexate but could not miss it. We even heard heartbeats of the baby. I had a laporascopic and dr cleaned my right tube but did not remove the tube. I had my hsg again and now my right tube is blocked near to the uterus . But my left tube is open, but has very slight enlargement. I most generally ovulate from my right side. Last year i had an unsuccesful ivf. 14 eggs were collected (only 1 or 2 from left ovary), 5 were fertilized, 2 went to the 5th day. One was transferred but resulted in chemical pregnancy. We prepared for the last FET transfer, during the treatment i had a midcycle bleeding. Dr said i have very slight adenomiosis. Next cycle we again prepared for the transfer but embrio was not good after unfreezing. After a few months, i went to 2 nd ivf, 16 eggs were collected (only 1 from left ovary), Only 2 fertilized and went to 5th day. We did PGD test and the result was: one embrio is down sendrome and the second embrio has much more genetic problems. So dr did not transfer. We did our genetic tests i have mthfr 1298c heterozigot and others are normal. I want to conceive naturally. I am using now vitamin D3K2, methylfolat, omega3 fish oil, CoQ10, aspirin magnezium. I dont now what to do. I just wonder is it possible for me to conceive naturally. I think that, since my right tube end to the ovary is open, maybe everytime i ovulate from the right, it is automatically absorbed by the right tube. Maybe if my right tube was completely removed, my right egg would swim into the left tube. What do u think about all my situation? What do u advise me? My husband’s sperm morfology is 4%, count 3 million, motility (a+b 25) and has varicosel. Some drs say he should have a varicosel operation, some say should not. I feel so helpless. My amh is 2. Fsh 5-7. Ovulating and having periods regularly. Left ovary cyst operation, right tube ectopic operation, ovulating generally from right. Do i still have chance?
Thank you very much beforehand!

Thank you for your entry in the blog.
Your diagnosis is confirmed by the laparoscopic operation that can affect the quality of your eggs and, furthermore, there is a male factor, since the sperm analysis of your husband shows some alterations.
A spontaneous pregnancy is always possible, but I would advise you to reach out for an assisted reproduction specialist so that she/he can orient you about the treatment that could increase the chances of pregnancy.